HBO Gohttp://www.maclife.com/taxonomy/term/14350/all
enOvernight Recap: Safeplug, MyMail, MediaFire Desktop, Fancred 2.0, HBO Gohttp://www.maclife.com/article/news/overnight_recap_safeplug_mymail_mediafire_desktop_fancred_20_hbo_go
<!--paging_filter--><p><img src="/files/u220903/safeplug_620px.png" alt="Safeplug" width="620" height="300" /></p><p>The big news on Thursday was undoubtedly the jury decision in Apple's favor which awards the iPhone maker another $290 million from Samsung over 13 older devices found to have infringed on Cupertino's patents. Combined with the earlier verdict, that puts nearly a billion dollars in Apple's coffers, although it does little to stomp out the Samsung copying machines from firing up more knockoffs down the road. With that victory behind us, let's get on with one last Friday recap ahead of next week's Black Friday!</p><h3>Pogoplug Debuts $49 Home IP Blocker, Safeplug</h3><p>Staying safe on the internet can often be a challenge, which is why the makers of Pogoplug have just released a new device aimed at keeping your web browsing as private as possible. Now available for $49, <a href="https://pogoplug.com/safeplug" target="_blank">Safeplug</a> is a little black box which plugs into your router. Once activated, the Safeplug keeps websites from finding out who you are and where you live based on your IP address -- no matter what kind of device you access the web from. Pogoplug claims the device can be set up in 60 seconds, and is available now from the company's web store.</p><h3>Russian Email Service Debuts MyMail Mobile Apps</h3><p>Few Americans are familiar with Mail.ru, which could be considered a sort of Google for Russian-speaking countries. The company is expanding its horizons this week with a new service called My.com, and its first product is a free email client for iOS and Android appropriately known as <a href="http://mymail.my.com/#intro" target="_blank">myMail</a>. The third-party email app is built to work with Google, Yahoo, AOL, Outlook and iCloud accounts as well as "nearly every" IMAP or POP email address, offering real push notifications even for services that don't offer them natively. MyMail features iOS 7 visual flair and bucks the current trend of trying to disguise itself as a messaging app, and is <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/app/id722120997" target="_blank">now ready to download</a> from the App Store.</p><h3>MediaFire Announces Desktop Sync Client for OS X</h3><p>As cloud storage services go, MediaFire is a veritable old timer, despite lacking a lot of the niceties of younger upstarts such as Dropbox and SugarSync. But that's all changed this week, as <a href="https://blog.mediafire.com/2013/11/meet-mediafire-desktop-our-new-online-storage-syncing-service-for-osx-and-windows/" target="_blank">the company has announced MediaFire Desktop</a>, a free application for <a href="https://www.mediafire.com/software/desktop/" target="_blank">OS X and Windows</a> that enables users to upload, collaborate and share their cloud media with automatic file syncing. The news is likely to be welcome by users who have already racked up 50GB of free space with MediaFire, but the company also offers aggressively priced plans starting at $25 per year for 100GB of storage -- nearly half the cost of competitors.</p><h3>Fancred Unveils Sequel to iPhone-Based Sports Social Network</h3><p>The fine folks at Fancred announced Thursday the debut of <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/fancred-connect-fans-get-sports/id614787471?mt=8" target="_blank">Fancred 2.0</a>, a major new update to their iPhone app built from the ground up for iOS 7. The app offers a social network dedicated to sports fans, including photos, articles, opinions, videos and conversations with like-minded individuals around the world. Fancred also ranks fans by their social engagement, offering a "Fancred score" that rises the more users engage with others. The service has been endorsed by 2013 World Series champs Boston Red Sox, who were the first pro sports team to partner with Fancred for an official team profile, with a number of college teams also now listed among the ranks. Fancred 2.0 is now available as a free update from the App Store.</p><h3>HBO Go App Updated with Chromecast Support</h3><p><a href="http://www.theverge.com/2013/11/21/5129354/chromecast-adds-hbo-go-streaming-support-ios-app" target="_blank">The Verge reported Thursday</a> that users of the HBO Go mobile apps for iOS and Android now have a second option for getting their favorite premium movies and TV shows onto an HDTV thanks to Google Chromecast support. With the latest update, that now adds HBO Go, Pandora and Hulu Plus to the roster which already includes Netflix and YouTube, meaning Google is making slow but steady progress for its little gray $35 HDMI dongle.<br /><br /><em>Follow this article’s author, <a href="http://twitter.com/JRBTempe" target="_blank">J.R. Bookwalter on Twitter</a></em></p><p>&nbsp;</p>http://www.maclife.com/article/news/overnight_recap_safeplug_mymail_mediafire_desktop_fancred_20_hbo_go#commentsNewsApp StoreChromecastFancredHBO GoMac OS XMediaFiremyMailovernight recapPogoplugSafeplugSportsiPadiPhoneiPodMacFri, 22 Nov 2013 12:00:00 +0000J.R. Bookwalter18681 at http://www.maclife.comHBO Go, WatchESPN, Other Apps Come to Apple TVhttp://www.maclife.com/article/news/hbo_go_watchespn_other_apps_come_apple_tv
<!--paging_filter--><p>Apple TV just keeps getting better. On<a href="http://www.maclife.com/article/news/itunes_radio_conference_room_display_come_apple_tv_beta" target="_blank"> Monday we reported</a> that iTunes Radio and a new "conference room" display had hit the beta for the little black box, but Apple today announced that the existing version now supports popular third party apps such as HBO GO, WatchESPN, along with a couple of other content generators.</p><p>Also included in the update are apps or the UK's Sky News, anime fan site Crunchyroll, and Quello, which focuses on delivering concert footage and documentaries about bands and musicians. Apple also used the release to announce some updated statistics regarding video purchase on iTunes, specifically that iTunes users have bought in excess of a billion TV episodes and 380 million movies. According to Apple, users download over 350,000 movies and 800,000 TV episodes per day.</p><p><img src="/files/u334114/2013/06/appletvnew.jpg" width="620" height="372" /></p><p>But for the end user of Apple TV, the biggest news is likely the inclusion of HBO Go. Users have been clamoring for it almost since it was announced, and HBO itself fought hard to get on Apple's diminutive device. Eric Kessler, president and COO of HBO, said as much back in February to <a href="http://allthingsd.com/20130212/ok-well-let-you-stream-hbo-go-to-your-tv/" target="_blank">AllThingsD</a>: "We will get on Apple TV, as we’ve said all along."</p><p>Unfortunately, both HBO Go and WatchESPN both require cable subscriptions to use them, which (as with similar announcement for the Xbox 360 and PS3 gaming systems) renders the announcement sort of bittersweet. This, indeed, marks the first time that Apple's allowed services on the device that need tethering to an outside service.</p><p>Also noticeably absent from the significant update was Amazon's Instant Video app, which claims several exclusive streaming rights for favorites like Downton Abbey and Justified.</p><p><em> Follow this article's writer, <a href="https://twitter.com/LeifJohnson" target="_blank">Leif Johnson</a>, on Twitter.</em></p>http://www.maclife.com/article/news/hbo_go_watchespn_other_apps_come_apple_tv#commentsNewsApple TVCrunchyrollHBO GoQuellostreamingWatchESPNThu, 20 Jun 2013 00:06:01 +0000Leif Johnson17311 at http://www.maclife.comWeekend Recap: AppGratis Pulled, Sharing Subscriptions, Frommer Returnshttp://www.maclife.com/article/news/weekend_recap_appgratis_pulled_sharing_subscriptions_frommer_returns
<!--paging_filter--><p><img src="/files/u220903/appgratis_200px.png" alt="AppGratis" width="200" height="150" class="graphic-right" />As weekends go, the first one in April was relatively quiet for technology news. But fear not: We've managed to bring together a handful of noteworthy stories you might have missed from the last week, even if they didn't all go down on a Friday, Saturday or Sunday. Ready to begin? We thought you might be, so read on...</p><h3>AppGratis Discovery Service Disappears from U.S. App Store</h3><p><a href="http://techcrunch.com/2013/04/07/apple-pulls-ios-app-discovery-service-appgratis-from-app-store/" target="_blank">TechCrunch is reporting</a> that popular app daily deal service <a href="http://appgratis.com" target="_blank">AppGratis</a> has vanished from the U.S. App Store, presumably having been yanked by Apple. (The developer has yet to comment on the removal, but the app remains live on at least the French App Store at this writing.) While the report speculates that the removal could be due to legitimate reasons such as a buggy update or the use of a private API, it seems more likely to be Apple enforcing a new developer rule put in place last October. “Apps that display Apps other than your own for purchase or promotion in a manner similar to or confusing with the App Store will be rejected," the new iOS developer guideline reads -- which puts a service like AppGratis squarely in the headlights. The timing couldn't be worse: The French service raised $13.5 million back in January.</p><h3>Sharing a Subscription Service? You're Not Alone</h3><p><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/07/business/streaming-sites-and-the-rise-of-shared-accounts.html" target="_blank"><em>The New York Times</em> published a story Saturday</a> on a new trend emerging with the younger generation: Borrowing the login for streaming apps such as HBO Go from family or friends to avoid paying a subscription. While the trend is nearly impossible to track, it may also be impossible for content providers to stop -- assuming they want to at all. Indeed, a senior vice president for corporate affairs at HBO was quoted as saying the network doesn't view such sharing “as a pervasive problem at this time," with 6.5 million of its 30 million subscribers currently using the HBO Go mobile app. While some services have already been savvy enough to limit the number of simultaneous users of their subscription-based services (Spotify and Hulu Plus, for example), HBO appears indifferent -- at least for now -- about people poaching its popular shows like <em>Game of Thrones</em>.</p><h3>Travel Guru Frommer Reclaims Brand from Google</h3><p>This one slipped through the cracks last week, but <a href="http://www.boston.com/travel/destinations/2013/04/03/arthur-frommer-gets-frommer-brand-back-from-google/qv1xU4ZUYqOZQNFrU1tGiL/story.html" target="_blank">Boston.com is reporting</a> that travel guide publisher Arthur Frommer has taken his popular brand back from Google and plans to keep publishing them. According to the report, last month Google was quoted as ‘‘quietly pulling the plug’’ on the travel guidebooks it had acquired from Wiley &amp; Sons only last summer. Prior to that, Frommer's work had been published by Simon &amp; Schuster since 1977, but the 83-year-old wrote his first self-published tome, "Europe on 5 Dollars a Day," way back in 1957. Google confirmed the change of hands, but noted that the existing travel content had already been injected into its various web services, including Google Plus. As for Frommer, he plans to pick right back up where he started, but will embrace the new technology: ‘‘We will be publishing the Frommer travel guides in ebook and print formats and will also be operating the travel site Frommers.com.’’</p><h3>Readability Debuts Top Reads Website, Twitter Feed</h3><p>On Friday, <a href="http://blog.readability.com/2013/04/top-reads-v2/" target="_blank">the folks at Readability announced</a> a newly redesigned version of its popular Top Reads offerings, which the read later service describes as "a birds-eye view of what people are reading on the web." Even better, the service has its own dedicated Twitter feed, which will be tweeting the latest and greatest articles currently gaining in popularity on Readability, for those who don't want to keep tabs on a separate website. Finally, Top Reads is also available right from the iOS app as well, in the usual clean Readability way. So what will you be reading today?</p><h3>Test Drive BlackBerry 10 on iOS, Android Smartphones</h3><p><a href="http://howto.cnet.com/8301-11310_39-57577291-285/preview-blackberry-10-on-your-iphone-android-device/" target="_blank">CNET is reporting</a> that BlackBerry is following in the footsteps of Microsoft by allowing iPhone or Android users to get a taste of its new BlackBerry 10, just by visiting a specific URL from their mobile device. Microsoft did the same with an earlier version of Windows Phone, but the BlackBerry version give prospective platform jumpers a peek at some of the features of its new mobile OS without the potential embarrassment of being seen at a nearby retail store actually touching one. In addition to basic navigation gestures, the web-based demo shows off BlackBerry Hub, the new software keyboard, video and screen sharing features and even the camera software's Time Shift, which is one of the more compelling new additions. To try it for yourself, head to <a href="http://blackberry.com/glimpse" target="_blank">BlackBerry.com/glimpse</a> from your mobile device (it won't work on a desktop browser, but feel free to tap the link if you're reading this from a mobile device).<br /><br /><em>Follow this article’s author, <a href="http://twitter.com/JRBTempe" target="_blank">J.R. Bookwalter on Twitter</a></em></p><p>&nbsp;</p>http://www.maclife.com/article/news/weekend_recap_appgratis_pulled_sharing_subscriptions_frommer_returns#commentsNewsApp StoreAppGratisBlackBerry 10daily dealsFrommer'sGoogleHBO GoreadabilitySharingsubscriptionsweekend recapiPhoneMon, 08 Apr 2013 12:23:03 +0000J.R. Bookwalter16670 at http://www.maclife.comThe 10 Hottest Apple News Stories, The Week of February 15http://www.maclife.com/article/gallery/10_hottest_apple_news_stories_week_february_15
<!--paging_filter--><p>No, it's not Game of Thrones Season Three news, so calm down. Although getting HBO Go Airplayed to your Apple TV might be pretty huge news for you, if you're into that kind of thing. These stories and more under the fold, just don't turn your back on Joffrey.</p>http://www.maclife.com/article/gallery/10_hottest_apple_news_stories_week_february_15#commentsGalleryNewsAdobeAdobe Edge ReflowairplayApple TVcameraCreative CloudDropboxHBO GoiMacinfinity bladeios 6.1iWatchjailbreakmacbook proMacLife 101panoramapinnataretina displayskypeSat, 16 Feb 2013 01:00:00 +0000J Keirn-Swanson16253 at http://www.maclife.comOvernight Recap: HBO Go Adds AirPlay, Amex Sync Purchasing, Real Racing 3http://www.maclife.com/article/news/overnight_recap_hbo_go_adds_airplay_amex_sync_purchasing_real_racing_3
<!--paging_filter--><p><img src="/files/u220903/hbo_go_app_200px.jpg" alt="HBO Go for iOS" width="200" height="150" class="graphic-right" />We love when content providers finally get the message and give us the features we want -- nay, need! -- as loyal users of their products. On Tuesday, the big news came with a very tiny update to the existing HBO Go apps, which are finally enabled with AirPlay streaming at long last. Really, it's something that every video streaming app should have now, and users need to keep the pressure on companies to provide it. So what else happened Tuesday? We're glad you asked...</p><h3>HBO iOS Apps Finally Have AirPlay Streaming</h3><p><a href="http://www.engadget.com/2013/02/12/hbo-airplay-support-hbo-go-max-go-airplay-apple-ipad/" target="_blank">As first noted by Engadget on Tuesday</a>, HBO President and COO Eric Kessler announced during an interview at the D: Dive Into Media 2013 conference that HBO fans would finally be getting AirPlay support on their iOS apps. Shortly after, updates to the existing <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/hbo-go/id429775439?mt=8" target="_blank">HBO Go</a> and <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/max-go/id453560335?mt=8" target="_blank">Max Go</a> apps popped up in the App Store with the promised feature enabled, although the HBO boss was less specific about when a dedicated Apple TV app might land. "We will get on Apple TV -- there is no problem. These things take time," Kessler remarked. Sadly, all of these cool features still require an HBO subscription to use -- the COO cited a possible "negative economic impact" to allowing just anyone to pay for HBO Go without a cable or satellite subscription to help keep the lights on.</p><h3>MacBook Pro SMC Firmware Update 1.7 Fixes Rare Battery Issue</h3><p>No, you're not having deja vu: Apple pushed out a new <a href="http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1633?viewlocale=en_US&amp;locale=en_US" target="_blank">MacBook Pro SMC Firmware Update 1.7</a> on Tuesday, this time for 15 and 17-inch MacBook Pro models from mid-2010 and early 2011. "This update addresses a rare issue on some Apple notebooks where a battery that has accumulated more than 1000 charge cycles may unexpectedly shut down or stop functioning," reads the typically brief support note that accompanies the update.</p><h3>Amex Sync Now Allows Buying Products with Twitter Hashtag</h3><p><a href="https://sync.americanexpress.com/twitter/Index" target="_blank">American Express announced</a> an extension of its Sync with Twitter program on Tuesday. Originally aimed at cardholders looking for discounts, the service now allows Amex users to also pay for select purchases using only a Twitter hashtag tweeted to @AmexSync. Confirm your purchase within 15 minutes, and Amex will ship the product via free two-day service; for in-store purchases, simply pay with the same card and your savings will be automatically added to your account.</p><h3>Real Racing 3 Speeding Into App Store <span style="text-decoration: line-through;">on Feb. 28</span> Tonight!</h3><p><a href="http://www.touchgen.net/real-racing-3-coming-feb-28th" target="_blank">TouchGen is reporting</a> that Real Racing 3 is gearing up to speed into the App Store in just over two weeks. Landing on February 28 for the iPhone, iPod touch and iPad, the third installment in the Real Racing series "promises to be the most realistic experience yet, featuring photorealistic tracks, 45 meticulously detailed cars and the all-new Time-Shifted Multiplayer." Electronic Arts is holding a press event next week to firm up the plans, so we should have more details at that time. <strong>UPDATE:</strong> Seems EA is eager to get the wheels on the road -- <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/nz/app/real-racing-3/id556164350" target="_blank">Real Racing 3 has already shown up in the New Zealand App Store</a>, which means it should hit the U.S. edition sometime Wednesday evening or Thursday morning -- and it's free, folks!</p><h3>Microsoft Office for Mac 14.3.1 Update Brings Stability Improvements</h3><p>Close on the heels of the recent Office for Mac 14.3 update, <a href="http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2814835" target="_blank">Microsoft pushed out a new 14.3.1 update on Tuesday</a>, promising improved stability. "This update fixes an issue that may cause Office 2011 applications to report a problem with Licensing even though the applications continue to run unaffected," the release notes explain. The productivity suite can be updated right from the Microsoft AutoUpdater included with each application, or the updater package can be downloaded straight from the web link above.<br /><br /><em>Follow this article’s author, <a href="http://twitter.com/JRBTempe" target="_blank">J.R. Bookwalter on Twitter</a></em></p><p>&nbsp;</p>http://www.maclife.com/article/news/overnight_recap_hbo_go_adds_airplay_amex_sync_purchasing_real_racing_3#commentsNewsairplayAmexapp updatesFirmwareHBO Gomacbook proOffice for Macovernight recapReal Racing 3SMCTwitteriPadiPhoneMacWed, 13 Feb 2013 13:28:14 +0000J.R. Bookwalter16221 at http://www.maclife.comBloomberg: Apple Bringing HBO Go to Apple TV in Mid-2013http://www.maclife.com/article/news/bloomberg_apple_bringing_hbo_go_apple_tv_mid2013
<!--paging_filter--><p><img src="http://www.maclife.com/files/u220903/hbo_go_app_200px.jpg" alt="HBO Go for iOS" width="200" height="150" class="graphic-right" />Apple's tiny black media streamer is woefully underpowered when it comes to third-party content providers compared to the likes of Roku, but a new report claims at least one cable heavyweight may be coming to the Apple TV this year.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-01-31/apple-tv-said-to-start-carrying-hbo-shows-later-this-year.html" target="_blank">Bloomberg is reporting</a> that Apple and Time Warner Inc. are in negotiations to bring the cable provider's HBO Go application to the Apple TV by the middle of this year, presumably an effort by Cupertino to play catch-up to smaller home theatre boxes such as Roku which already have the service.<br /><br />According to two unnamed sources "familiar with the plans," the addition of HBO Go would be a first for the Apple TV because it requires pay-TV authentication, which would then allow subscribers to watch more than 600 hours of programming.<br /><br />HBO Go is no stranger to Apple -- the company already has a <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/hbo-go/id429775439?mt=8" target="_blank">free app for the iPhone and iPad</a> available, which also requires users to have a monthly cable or satellite subscription to view programming on the go.<br /><br />Apple sold more than two million Apple TV boxes during the last calendar quarter of 2012, with more than 7.8 million in total sold during the two prior fiscal years.<br /><br /><em>Follow this article’s author, <a href="http://twitter.com/JRBTempe" target="_blank">J.R. Bookwalter on Twitter</a></em></p><p>&nbsp;</p>http://www.maclife.com/article/news/bloomberg_apple_bringing_hbo_go_apple_tv_mid2013#commentsNewsApp StoreApple Inc.Apple TVbloombergcable networksHBOHBO GoRokusubscriptionsTime Warner CableiPadiPhoneiPodFri, 01 Feb 2013 13:02:41 +0000J.R. Bookwalter16136 at http://www.maclife.com